January Book Club: The Cottage at Rosella Cove

Love Between the Pages Pick of the Month

The second heart-warming and charming novel from Sandie Docker, set in the small Australian coastal town of Rosella Cove.

Why had the house stayed empty so long? Why had it never been sold?

LOST
Nicole has left her city life for the sleepy town of Rosella Cove, renting the old cottage by the water. She plans to keep to herself – but when she uncovers a hidden box of wartime love letters, she realises she's not the first person living in this cottage to hide secrets and pain.

FOUND
Ivy's quiet life in Rosella Cove is tainted by the events of World War II, with ramifications felt for many years to come. But one night a drifter appears and changes everything. Perhaps his is the soul she's meant to save.

FORGOTTEN
Charlie is too afraid of his past to form any lasting ties in the cove. He knows he must make amends for his tragic deeds long ago, but he can't do it alone. Maybe the new tenant in the cottage will help him fulfil a promise and find the redemption he isn't sure he deserves.

Welcome to the cottage at Rosella Cove, where three damaged souls meet and have the chance to rewrite their futures.

Sandie Docker grew up in Coffs Harbour, and first fell in love with reading when her father introduced her to fantasy books as a teenager. Her love of fiction began when she first read Jane Austen for the HSC, but it wasn't until she was taking a translation course at university that her Mandarin lecturer suggested she might have a knack for writing – a seed of an idea that sat quietly in the back of her mind while she lived overseas and travelled the world. Sandie first decided to put pen to paper (yes, she writes everything the old-fashioned way before hitting a keyboard) when living in London. Now back in Sydney with her husband and daughter, she writes every day.

The Cottage at Rosella Cove
Penguin Australia
Author: Sandie Docker
ISBN: 9780143789215
RRP: $32.99

Sylvia's Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Makes 24

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups caster sugar
180g butter
200g dark chocolate
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
3 eggs
2⁄3 cup water
24 × 1cm squares of dark Chocolate

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line cupcake tins with cupcake cases. Place 200g chocolate, sugar and butter into a heat-proof bowl. Heat in microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between, until chocolate is melted.
Place remaining ingredients into bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on low and gradually add melted chocolate mixture. Increase speed to medium and beat until combined.
Spoon into prepared cupcake tin. Push a square of dark chocolate into the centre of each cupcake.
Bake till cooked – when top of cupcake is lightly pressed and cake springs back (approx. 15 mins).
Cool.
Top with chocolate frosting, piped in a swirl.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients
125g butter, soft 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste

Method
Place all ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until combined, fluffy and lighter in colour.

Lime and Coconut Cupcakes

Makes 18

Ingredients
180g butter, soft
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
3 eggs
2 cups flour
3/4 cup milk
zest and juice of 4 limes
2 cups of toasted shredded coconut
1/4 cup lime curd

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line cupcake tin with cupcake cases.
To toast coconut, line a baking tray with grease-proof paper and spread coconut out evenly. Place in oven until coconut begins to turn brown. Remove and place in bowl to cool.
Beat butter, sugars and vanilla paste until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in flour, milk, zest and juice. Fold in 1. cups of toasted coconut. Reserve . cup of coconut.
Spoon into prepared cupcake tins and bake till cooked – when top of cupcake is lightly pressed and cake springs back (approx. 18 mins).
Cool.
Using an apple corer, take out the middle of each cupcake (approx. 1. cm deep) and fill with lime curd.
Top with lime cream cheese frosting and remaining toasted coconut.

Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
30g butter, soft
250g cream cheese
500g icing sugar
zest and juice of 1 lime

Method
Beat all ingredients until light and fluffy. Pipe onto cupcakes and sprinkle toasted coconut on top.


The Cottage at Rosella Cove
Penguin Australia
Author: Sandie Docker
ISBN: 9780143789215
RRP: $32.99