Book excerpt: Join the guests at Australia's most infamous black-tie event, The Bachelor and Spinster Ball, in Janet Gover's life-affirming novel. The perfect read for fans of Jenny Colgan and Jo Thomas. Sexy Nick, feisty Bec and dreamy Hailey all grew up together in the tiny, one-horse town of Farwell Creek. In fact, Nick and Bec were the town's teen-dream couple, until Bec made a break for it and shook the small-town dust off her heels for the big-city lights. Now she's back - but Nick doesn't have romantic feelings for her any more ... does he? Sweet, idealistic Hailey is caught between her old friends, but has too many problems of her own to be able to worry about theirs. Devastated at the loss of her parents, who died in a crash a year earlier, she's too wrapped up in her own thoughts to even think about leaving town or finding love. It will take a devastating bush-fire, a black-tie ball under the stars, and a road-trip to help all three friends work out who and what they want - and what they need. What readers are saying about THE BACHELOR AND SPINSTER BALL: 'A story of rich emotions and strong relationships. A lovely, escapist read' 'Beautifully written, the characters are easy to identify with and the author's rich description of a small place in Australia made me want to go there!' 'I absolutely loved this book and how you get to see all sides of the story. A real romance - so brilliant'