Shelter from the Storm


 Praise for Penelope Janu
 ‘A rural story that has it all … simmering romance, international intrigue, a complex heroine and a swoon-worthy hero. What’s not to love?’
 —Karly Lane, bestselling Australian author, on Clouds on the Horizon
 ‘When reading a Janu novel, one expects several things: a feisty heroine, gorgeous rural settings, and a passionate, captivating romance. She delivers all that here, in spades.’
 —Better Reading on Clouds on the Horizon
 ‘Encapsulates everything I love about the romance genre and so much more. A go-to author for rural romance for the head as well as the heart …’
 —Joanna Nell, bestselling Australian author
 ‘Endearingly quirky and utterly charming. Funny and sweet and wonderful.’
 —Amy Andrews, USA Today bestselling author, on On the Same Page
 ‘Penelope Janu’s fresh, bright, funny new twist on rural romance is an absolute delight. Her wit is as sharp as a knife. She is one of my absolute must-read authors.’
 —Victoria Purman, bestselling author of The Nurses’ War, on Up on Horseshoe Hill
 ‘Intriguing characters and a colourful setting: if you like romance and a little mystery, get ready to enjoy this novel.’
 —Tricia Stringer, author of Keeping Up Appearances, on On the Right Track
 ‘Take a break from the news and spend time in Horseshoe Hill. Well written, interesting and filled with heart, Starting from Scratch is the perfect weekend read.’
 —Better Reading
 ‘Oh, how I do love reading a novel by Penelope Janu, it’s always an absolute pleasure and I find them hard to put down. Up on Horseshoe Hill is no exception, I read until the early hours of the morning and picked it up again as soon as I was awake.’
 —Claire’s Reads and Reviews
 ‘Up on Horseshoe Hill is a novel that I would recommend for animal lovers, for rural romance lovers and for those seeking an engaging read.’
 —Great Reads and Tea Leaves
 ‘Penelope Janu succeeds in delivering fans old and new an engrossing tale. Up on Horseshoe Hill is a novel that awakens our sense of hope that love can prevail, even when life deals you with a series of devastating setbacks to overcome.’
 —Mrs B’s Book Reviews
 ‘On the Right Track by author Penelope Janu is on my unputdownable fave reads category. There was humour, tension, chemistry amongst a backdrop of family drama that just keeps the pages turning.’
 —Talking Books Blog
 ABOUT PENELOPE JANU
 PENELOPE JANU lives on the coast in northern Sydney with a distracting husband, a very large dog and, now they’re fully grown, six delightful children who come and go. Penelope has a passion for creating stories that explore social and environmental issues, but her novels are fundamentally a celebration of Australian characters and communities. Her first novel, In at the Deep End, came out in 2017, followed by On the Right Track, On the Same Page, Up on Horseshoe Hill, Starting from Scratch and Clouds on the Horizon, as well as a novella, The Six Rules of Christmas. Penelope enjoys riding horses, exploring the Australian countryside and dreaming up challenging hiking adventures. Nothing makes her happier as a writer than readers falling in love with her clever, complex and adventurous heroines and heroes. She loves to hear from readers, and can be contacted at www.penelopejanu.com.
 Also by Penelope Janu
 In at the Deep End
 On the Right Track
 On the Same Page
 Up on Horseshoe Hill
 Starting from Scratch
 Clouds on the Horizon
 The Six Rules of Christmas (novella)
 
 
 www.harpercollins.com.au/hq
 
 ISBN 9781867223641
 TITLE: SHELTER FROM THE STORM
 First Australian Publication 2023
 Copyright © 2023 by Penelope Janu
 All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher:
 HQ Fiction
 An imprint of Harlequin Enterprises (Australia) Pty Limited (ABN 47 001 180 918), a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty Limited (ABN 36 009 913 517)
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 SYDNEY NSW 2000
 AUSTRALIA
 This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
 ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its corporate affiliates and used by others under licence. Trademarks marked with an ® are registered in Australia and in other countries. Contact [email protected] for details.
 www.harpercollins.com.au/hq To my grandsons Harrison and Darcy,
 who love to read books and tell stories
 CONTENTS
 Praise
 About the Author
 Also by Penelope Janu
 Chapter 1
 Chapter 2
 Chapter 3
 Chapter 4
 Chapter 5
 Chapter 6
 Chapter 7
 Chapter 8
 Chapter 9
 Chapter 10
 Chapter 11
 Chapter 12
 Chapter 13
 Chapter 14
 Chapter 15
 Chapter 16
 Chapter 17
 Chapter 18
 Chapter 19
 Chapter 20
 Chapter 21
 Chapter 22
 Chapter 23
 Chapter 24
 Chapter 25
 Chapter 26
 Chapter 27
 Chapter 28
 Chapter 29
 Chapter 30
 Chapter 31
 Chapter 32
 Chapter 33
 Chapter 34
 Chapter Chapter
 1
 A grey gum towers over the windswept scrub that borders the path to the beach. The shadows are deep in the moonlight, but my watch lights up when I push back the cuff of my wetsuit: ten forty-five. An hour has passed since I ordered the recruits to join me at the tree. Yes, lieutenant. Sure, lieutenant. We won’t let you down, lieutenant. They’ve probably gone back to sleep.
 The breeze is light, whispering through the