Losing Kate

by Kylie Kaden

This mesmerising debut novel is part love story, part mystery, telling the captivating story of two lovers torn apart by tragedy and the secrets they kept of one devastating night. I'm the most authentic version of myself when I'm around Jack. We've known each other since we were kids, and our relationship was always one of mudpies and mocking. Then everything changed.Beautiful Kate, my best friend, disappeared on a moonlit beach after Jack dumped her for me. Jack was a suspect and, sure of his innocence, I lied to protect him. I know Jack didn't kill her. Our betrayal did.Thirteen years later, I am thirty, childless and single, attempting to renovate my life rescuing a rundown worker's cottage. All is as it should be in my safe little world - until Jack buys the vacant lot behind my house. and the feelings that we buried all those years ago - the guilt, the love and the pain - resurface.We can't keep running away from the past - and to move forward we have to know what really happened to Kate.

Genres: Romance, Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary, Roman

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2014

About the author

Hi there, and thanks for taking the time to pop by.

Writing is an isolated occupation, so feel free to drop me a line!

Okay, writers make the stuff up, but the stories only come to life when they get let out into the real world. It is the readers that breathe life into characters, and the readers who I hope to connect with. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

find me at: hello@kyliekaden.com.au

(or www.kyliekaden.com.au)

Raised in Queensland, she spent holidays camping with her parents and two brothers at the Sunshine Coast, where much of Losing Kate was set. She now lives in Brisbane with her husband and three young sons. As the only female in a house of males, Kylie tops up her sanity by writing whilst her youngest naps (and the washing mounts). She is adamant the next addition to the Kaden household will be female…and canine.

Kylie graduated with an honours degree in psychology from Queensland University of Technology in 2000, but cites it helps little with meeting the challenges of parenting in the real world. She shares her frazzled parenting experiences in her regular column in My Child magazine, and is a strong advocate for telling it like it is when it comes to the struggles (and joys) of raising kids.

After postgraduate study, Kylie went on to train and manage staff in both the corporate and government arenas, where she met her surfer/lawyer husband at an end-of-year function (at the pub). She wrote her debut novel,Losing Kate whilst on maternity leave from an executive role in the Australian Public Service.

Kylie knew writing was in her blood from a young age, using her brother’s Commodore 64 to invent stories as a child. Her current novel took shape as she drank tea at the kitchen bench, often with a toddler on her lap and ABC Kids chirping in the background.

Kylie considers being a novelist the best job in the world – what other occupation lets you wear Ugg boots to work and make things up for a living?

Losing Kate, a Women’s Contemporary Novel was Kylie's debut (April 2014), published by Random House and later translated internationally. Her second novel, also published by Penguin Random House was the critically acclaimed, Missing You (2015). The Day The Lies Began - a domestic noir (2019) Pantera Press and One Of Us (2022) and After The Smoke Clears (2023).

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack and Frankie (Francesca)'s mothers were friends and so the two kids grew up together, played and tumbled together like puppies and were best mates at school. Into their final year walk school walked Kate, a beautiful charismatic girl who became both Frankie's best friend and Jack's girlfriend. Frankie has coped with Jack having girlfriends before, but not her best friend and their triangle becomes a bit strained at times. Then tragedy strikes at a beach camp following their end of year exams and Frankie loses not only Kate but also Jack.

The book opens some 13y later with 30y old Frankie fixing up a derelict cottage that she bought. When the block next door is up for sale, who should walk back into her life but Jack. Soon he and his partner and little boy are installed next door and Frankie must face up to what really happened all those years ago.

This is not only a contemporary romance but also a mystery as Frankie looks back at the events of that day on the beach and the way betrayal, revenge, love and secrets kept hidden all twisted together to lead to losing Kate. An excellent debut novel that resonated with a fresh Australian voice.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francesca (Frankie) is single, aged thirty and lives alone in her run down cottage which she is trying to renovate in between her work schedule. The vacant land at the back of her cottage is up for sale, so on auction day, Frankie and her friend, Meg go along to see if the land gets sold, but the last person, Frankie expected to see in the crowd was, Jack. Frankie and Jack were childhood friends who attended the same school and it's been thirteen years since they've seen one another. After, Jack's partner became the highest bidder it seems they were about to become neighbors.

Seeing Jack again only brings back terrible memories from their teenage years. Schoolies weekend on the beach is one weekend that, Frankie will never forget. This was the time when their friend, Kate disappeared without a trace. Both Frankie and Jack were distraught over the disappearance of their friend, but neither of them knew where she was or what had happened her.

Frankie had feelings for Jack all those years ago, but she knew that she could never act on them whilst, Kate and Jack were going out with one another. Is it possible that those feelings are still there and what did happen to Kate?

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. A fabulous and very compelling read by a very talented Aussie author which I have no doubt will be enjoyed by many. I have no hesitation in HIGHLY recommending this book.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kylie Kaden's compelling debut novel, Losing Kate, is an absorbing contemporary story of secrets, betrayal, love and redemption.

On the night that seventeen year old Kate disappeared while celebrating 'schoolies', Francesca lost both the best friend she adored and the boy, Jack, who held her heart.
Thirteen years later, Frankie is stunned to discover Jack has bought the vacant block of land bordering her cottage. Their unexpected reunion revives memories and emotions neither are prepared for, and to move forward they need to learn the truth about what happened to the girl they both loved.

The first person narrative shifts between the past and present as it traces Jack, Kate's and Frankie's teenage relationship, the events on the night Kate went missing, and Frankie's and Jack's reunion after 13 years. Though Frankie and Jack quickly reestablish the intimacy of their childhood friendship, Kate always stands between them. Guilt, regret and lies are irredeemably tangled with loyalty, truth and love. The situation is complicated further by Jack's current relationship.

The mystery of Kate's fate is what primarily drives the tension throughout the novel. The flashbacks slowly reveal what Frankie remembers of the night and how those memories fit with what she is learning in the present day. Frankie just can't let go of Kate and her desire for closure. Suspicions rise and fall as the truth is pieced together, and the swirling ambiguity kept me guessing.

Despite the pop culture references (to bands like Powder Finger), elements of the story, including the oppressive summer weather, Francesca's crumbling cottage, fire and illness, give the story a contemporary gothic feel. The doomed teenage romance between Kate and Jack also plays into this, as does Frankie and Jack's unrequited love.

Set amongst the streets of suburban Queensland, Losing Kate is a gripping novel of suspense, drama and romance. An impressive debut, I really enjoyed Losing Kate and I'm looking forward to more from Kylie Kaden.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Frankie gazed at the huddle of people in her back yard, she felt a little bemused – her little old miner’s cottage which she had bought earlier with the view to renovate had a vacant block at the back, just beyond the rickety fence – this was why the group of people, including the forceful auctioneer were on her property. Her neighbour and best friend, Meg, was treating it as a fun day for her boys – including the popcorn. But quite suddenly Frankie froze in shock; a man from her long ago past had just materialized – her emotions went into overdrive immediately as memories crashed over her.

Thirteen years ago two childhood friends found their lives ripped apart by tragic events – events which occurred at a schoolies weekend on the beach. They had escaped the restrictions of their families finally, and were all set to have a fantastic weekend, drinking, fishing and just being teenagers. Kate and Frankie were best friends; Kate had been in Frankie’s life for only a year, but it felt like she had known her forever. Jack she HAD known forever – since they were little kids they’d been best mates, but as Frankie had matured her feelings for Jack had intensified. But Kate and Jack were an item, so she continually felt like “the third wheel”.

In the beauty of the moonlit night disaster struck. Kate disappeared from the beach where they were all camping; the friends spent the remainder of the night searching frantically, but she seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth. The police were called, the searching began; questions were asked, interrogations were held. But one thing was certain – Kate was nowhere to be found…

All these years later and recently single after kicking out an unfaithful fiancé, Frankie watched the auction come to its conclusion; she realized with a dawning sense of dread that Jack was the final bidder. How would she cope with the man who knew so much about her past – their past – living almost on her doorstep? All the guilt, remorse and pain was resurfacing – were there secrets which would come to light? Would they ever get over losing Kate?

What a great story! A debut from Aussie author Kylie Kaden, I feel confident in saying she is here to stay. The mystery was well done with an authentic twist at the end, also the moving from past to current day worked really well. I have no hesitation in recommending this novel highly.

With thanks to NetGalley for my copy to read and review.

[Helene Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich evocative read that kept me riveted right to the end. Losing Kate is a stunning debut and I look forward to reading many more stories from this wonderful new writer.

[ALPHAreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen years ago Francesca’s best friend died under mysterious circumstances. Kate’s death made the papers, and suspicion was cast on her boyfriend, Francesca’s best childhood friend, Jack Shaw … so much doubt was cast, and mud sticks, so Jack and his family had to move away.

Thirteen years later Francesca, single and working a gruelling job as a social worker, has stayed in her hometown and bought a fixer-upper cottage next door to a house on vacant swamp land. But the day that land goes up for auction, she is shocked to discover the man who successfully bid is Jack Shaw – no longer young and gangly, but tall, handsome and with a partner and little boy, Oli, in tow. And he’s planning to stay the six months it will take to renovate the old house, six months of living behind Francesca, looking at her over his property line.

Jack immediately downplays his history with Francesca ‘Fray’ (as he called her) to his new partner, Sara. But the young, beautiful woman instantly suspects something is up when Jack’s old familiarity with Francesca starts to seep through their ‘new’ acquaintance. How could it not? This is the same boy Francesca played with in her backyard – running naked round the sprinklers. They were best friends in high school, even if Francesca wanted more, even if she was crushed when Jack turned his attention to the beautiful new girl and Francesca’s new best friend, Kate all those years ago…

... As usual, Jack makes me see things clearly. He is still my litmus test for the truth ...

Now Jack is back in Francesca’s life – reminding her of everything she doesn’t have, all the things they lost thirteen years ago and her growing pile of “what if?” questions. And with Jake comes memories of Kate – their beautiful, frantic, damaged girl. Memories of their last fraught day together, and how Francesca loved Jack so much, she even lied for him.

‘Losing Kate’ is the debut novel from Australian author Kylie Kaden.

Kylie Kaden’s debut ‘Losing Kate’ is another beautiful example of the suburban-gothic sub-genre; blending romance and mystery with a sleepy suburbia backdrop that belies a darker underbelly. These books also seem to focus on the hazy days of one’s youth, where the best secrets are grown, and then examines them surfacing in the present where skeletons have been left languishing in closets for far too long … ‘Losing Kate’ is a blend of Liane Moriarty’s 'The Husband's Secret' and Frances Whiting’s 'Walking on Trampolines' (minus the gritty mystery) for how these books are about the old secrets of seemingly ordinary, suburban families surfacing in the present.

Adding to the gothic elements in Kaden’s debut is the Queensland settings of Toowoomba and Townsville, where the heat is oppressive, stilted houses peek into neighbour’s backyards and Francesca’s old crush has moved into the swampish lot next door. The story is narrated by Francesca in present-day, with the occasional memory lapse to 2000, the year Kate died and more specifically, the night she went missing. As readers, we’re thrown into the thick of it when Francesca is shocked to discover Jack Shaw has just moved in next door – over the course of the first chapter we gradually learn this is not just a case of an awkward teenage dalliance resurfacing, but Jack is in fact tied to Francesca’s entire childhood and the reason they lost contact these past thirteen years has to do with the death of his girlfriend, Francesca’s best friend, Kate.

I feel like I'm at a school reunion, my life being evaluated by the person who I started becoming a person with. We've lapsed into that small talk again, and I relax in a way I've only ever been able to with him. There's so much about the last thirteen years I don't know. Has he missed me? Has he missed Kate? Has he made his peace with what happened on that beach when we were seventeen, desperately trying to be grown up in an adult world?

Straight away ‘Losing Kate’ felt more like a mystery to me. I spent a good deal of the book’s first half suspicious of Jack and his sudden reappearance in Francesca’s life, seeming coincidental. I was even more suspicious when Francesca’s older brother (and another old friend of Jack’s) Ben, casts his suspicions on the whole situation as well – particularly the part where Jack’s partner, Sara, has no knowledge of Kate’s death and the accusations Jack ran away from, let alone just how close he was to Francesca. I can’t say I ever really stopped suspecting Jack of wrongdoing, even when the novel gearshifts and Francesca is tempted to rekindle what she always wanted with Jack. I think this came down to Kaden having written such a good whodunit, pulling on these gothic elements so masterfully, that it was hard for me as a reader to uncoil enough to trust in Jack and the romance elements that appear in the latter half of the story. For that reason as well, I wanted bigger pay-off with the mystery. There’s a big part of me that wished Kaden had kept things gritty, and cast real villains in this book … but, also to her credit, she instead makes her characters very real and very flawed – there are not real ‘villains’ or heroes in this tale, just damaged people muddling through life, trying to cope with the mistakes they have made (some terrible, others forgivable).

I particularly enjoyed that the ‘flashbacks’ in this book are set in 2000. It’s part of that 90s nostalgia I so love (because that was my era), but I really like that Francesca and Jack listened to Powderfinger and talked Nirvana, Francesca got annoyed at Ben for listening to ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ endlessly and there’s fond mention of discmans. The 2000 setting works really well, particularly for purposes of present plot when anyone can look up the details of Kate’s disappearance and death, and the media’s scrutiny of Jack, via quick Google search.

I really enjoyed this book, even while not particularly liking many of the characters in it. Kaden’s female characters are particularly hard to read– mainly Kate and Sara. Sara, I think, is somewhat shaded by Francesca’s view of her – she seems larger than life in her bitchiness, and could almost be the villain of the story … if not for the fact that I was always aware that I was reading her through Francesca’s eyes, with her jealousies over Jack and likewise Sara’s (correct) suspicions about the two of them. Kate, in flashback, reminded me (hauntingly) of Kate Kendall in Rachel Ward’s film ‘Beautiful Kate’ – a young woman whose beauty and confidence belies deep demons that continue to haunt all those she touched.

'She was like fireworks, Fray. She was never made to last.'

This was a book that I rushed to get back to; immensely readable and a great blend of romance and ‘suburban-gothic’ mystery, where past meets present to prove that secrets can’t stay buried forever.

[Roz ~ My Written Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can read this and my other reviews at My Written Romance.

I was provided with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 out of 5

We hear the tale of Kate and the impact her loss had on those who loved and knew her through the eyes of Frankie.

Frankie and Jack were never apart as children, the very best of friends. Then Kate arrived in their lives, a whirlwind who blew in and changed it in more ways than she could ever know. Frankie watched from the sidelines, trying to ignore a rising sense of jealousy in seeing her friends get together. But in their world, nothing was what it appeared to be on the surface, and on a camping trip one weekend, everything changed.

The pace of the story was fast without being dizzying, told in a mixture of present day and flashbacks. Sometimes, the back and forth approach to storytelling can throw me out, however not so in this case. The glimpses of the past made it possible for me to understand the motivations of Frankie and Jack in the present world.

The connection between Frankie and Jack is electric. Even with the external difficulties (Jack has a partner and child) and the memories of Kate that are ever-present, I could see that there was meant to be something more than simply friendship between them. I did find myself wondering how Kylie Kaden would resolve their relationship without it descending into a cheating book, and how it is done is definitely satisfying.

I saw aspects of the character Kate that remind me of particular people that I've known throughout my life. The suspense and mystery surrounding Kate's disappearance is really well done. I have to say I was not expecting the outcome to be what it was - and I loved that. Being kept guessing without being totally confused as to what happened - that's my romantic suspense catnip right there.

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to say what I want to without giving the game away, so I'll stop there. The more that I read of Losing Kate, the harder it was to believe that this is Kylie's debut release. As I stated on Goodreads, shortly after reading it, Kaden writes with a voice that belies her newcomer status. This was so beautifully written and I cannot wait to read more from this fabulous new Australian author.

[marlin1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how to begin this review. This book was compelling, mesmerising, I couldn't put it down and I totally felt for Francesca (for Fray/Frankie), Jack and even Kate.
It begins in Year 12, Frankie and Jack have been best friends since early childhood and Kate comes to the school as the new girl. They strike a friendship and Kate is everything that Frankie wants to be, striking, confident and exciting...and she also has Jack, to the point that Frankie often feels on the outer.
Kate disappears in a tragic accident while on a beach camping trip with friends to celebrate schoolies and nothing is ever the same again.
Thirteen years later Frankie is still living in the same suburb, in a dilapidated old house in need of love and attention. She is observing an auction of land next door and is taken aback to see non other than Jack and family purchase the block. It seems he is now a father to young Oli and partner to Sarah who has her own problems.
Frankie and Jack fall back into their old friendship, which he initially plays down to Sarah but really, Kate is always there between them.
The story is told in flashbacks from Frankie's point of view between the night of Kate's disappearance and present. The story gradually unfolds as Frankie learns and comes to know the truth of Kate's disappearance and she can finally move on.
Even with the flashbacks, the story was easy to follow and Kate came alive for me when I understood the type of person she was and I felt for Frankie and Jack and all the untold truths that adults and others kept from them, which prevented Frankie having the closure she needed.
I will certainly look for the authors next offering.
Thank you to Random House for the eARC.

[Jenn J McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant storytelling. Hard to believe this is a debut novel. It takes talent to write a story that shifts back and forth (decades) and do it so well. I feel like I actually ‘watched’ Frankie and Jack growing up into the present day adults who reconnect and rediscover the tragic event from their angsty teenage years. The wonderful turn of phrase made Losing Kate a delightful and easy read. I look forward to the next novel.

[Bree T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen years ago, Frankie, Jack and Kate were almost inseparable. Frankie and Jack had been friends since they were both tiny – Frankie’s mother used to babysit Jack after his mother went back to work. They went through school together like best friends although somewhere along the way, things became a little different.

And then came Kate.

Kate was new to the school when they were about 16 and it was Frankie she made a beeline for and the two of them became best friends. Shortly after, Jack the jock and Kate, beautiful Kate, became an item and Frankie was in the middle of a very delicate juggling act. Kate was needy, often difficult but the two of them were as close as sisters, even though Kate occasionally would feel left out of Frankie and Jack’s closeness. And Kate hated feeling left out.

When they finished school, they went camping on a ‘schoolies’ holiday and Kate disappeared after Jack tired of her drama and broke up with her, determined to move on with Frankie, the one he should’ve been with. However nothing was ever the same after Kate’s disappearance – Jack was briefly a suspect and then he moved away to escape the stares and the whispers.

Now Frankie is nearly 30, unmarried and not connected to anyone when Jack buys the property behind hers. All of a sudden, everything Frankie has been suppressing – guilt, pain and so much more comes rushing to the surface. She and Jack have always been better together but there are complications. Jack has a ready-made family but as always, the two of them are drawn together. They want to be around each other but they still have so much unfinished business. In order to move on, move forward either together or separate, they have to know what happened to Kate all of those years ago.

Losing Kate is the sort of story that has a little bit of everything. On one hand, it’s a love story – Frankie (short for Francesca) and Jack have known each other since they were tiny. They grew up together, they were best friends. Somewhere along the way they started to see each other as more than friends but were reluctant (especially Frankie) to take that next step for fear of ruining the amazing friendship they’d spent so many years cultivating. Enter Kate, new girl at school. Beautiful, a bit crazy and she slips straight in, becoming best friends with Frankie and Jack’s girlfriend.

It’s also a mystery as thirteen years after Kate disappears, Jack pops back into her life. This brings back all of the feelings she’s crammed to the back of her mind right to front and center and she finds herself desperate to know what really happened to Kate. All Frankie knows is that Kate ran away from Jack on the beach after Jack broke up with her and was basically never seen again. Why did she feel the need to run when there was really no where safe to go? Was it an accident? Did she meet with someone who hurt her? And was what Kate told Frankie just prior to her disappearing really true? And if so, it means Jack lied to her. And if he lied to her about that, even all of those years ago, then she knows that the two of them have no future together because she’ll never be able to trust her. It’s important for Frankie to know the truth.

I think that most people, well most teenage girls have had a friend like Kate. Someone that you click with, who is fun and amazing when they’re happy but who can also be difficult and moody and make you feel like you’ve done them so wrong when really you have no clue what it is you’re supposed to have done. Kaden really captures this with Frankie and Kate, perfectly balancing the fact that Frankie loves Kate, enjoys her company and being friends with the effortlessly cool girl, at the time unaware of the fact that Kate does have some underlying issues that an adult picks up on but a teenager would be oblivious to at the time. Likewise the triangle is well done, which is a difficult thing to achieve. The scenes in the past are where this book shines, navigating the difficult teenage relationships with all their complicated layers and for Frankie, trying to achieve that balance where she gets to both keep Kate as a best friend and get to be with the person she wants to be with, who clearly wants her as well. I’m about the same age as Francesca, so her teenage memories of music etc are my teenage memories of music. It was a great way to connect with Frankie and her life.

In the present, nothing is easy. Jack has a partner named Sara and he deliberately hides his connection to Frankie from her for fear of raising her suspicion. It seems that Jack has a predisposition to picking women who are self-destructive and often difficult which made me wonder if he was trying to make up for what happened to Kate (or if I was just totally overthinking it and Sara was difficult because it made it easier for the reader to dislike her and want Jack and Frankie to have their chance!). Jack and Frankie have so much to work out, half truths, finding the real from the not real and the messy situation regarding Jack’s home life and it was interesting to watch them really work at it, sometimes making mistakes and taking a step backwards before they could go forwards.

A great debut and an author to watch in the future.

[Deb Omnivorous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book!

I love stories set in Australia and I absolutely loved this one set as it is in Brisbane. Although it is a Brisbane story, this should not discourage anyone from reading it if they are not familiar with this city, the scenes are well enough written that anyone can enjoy them.

Our main characters were scarred by the death of Kate, the girl was her best friend and adored her, the boy was her boyfriend and suspected for her death.... Thirteen years later they meet again, by coincidence and the fateful events of thirteen years prior unfold to envelope them. The plot is subtle, human and well done. This is about people and how they are left damaged by bad things in their past, how they get over them, how they move on. There is an 'expose of guilt' but that is secondary to the real plot, which is about people.

The characters were convincing, their actions were realistic and their story addictive. I am very glad the library had this one.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Losing Kate is a wonderful story about what happens to young adults lives when something terrible happens to them. Readers of losing Kate would also see the way the community treated Jack and Frankie during this time. Jack and his family due to the treatment he received had to leave Brisbane and go to Townsville. However, ten years later Jack back in Brisbane and then everything started to change for Frankie. The readers of Losing Kate will be surprised and love the conclusion of this book. I loved the way Kylie Kaden entwine the issues of Kate with the bubbling romance between Jake and Frankie and shows how small the world is. I recommend this book.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable debut!

Flashbacks a bit long and the whole piece a bit too extended, but still very readable.

[Sarah Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack and Frankie (Francesca) were friends from early childhood. They did everything together. When the dynamic Kate arrives at school during their final year, she becomes Frankie’s best friend and Jack’s girlfriend and their relationships become strained. Tragically Kate goes missing while they are camping at the beach following their final exams - her body is found several days later washed up along the coast.

The incident tears Jack and Frankie apart. Thirteen years later they meet by chance but Frankie realises that she needs to know exactly what happened on the night Kate disappeared. Had Jack been involved? Can they ever move on without knowing the truth?

[Natalie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad I discovered this Aussie author’s debut novel.

Spanning a 13 year time period, the author seamlessly moves through the history of them and now.
Characters Frankie and Jack are both easy to relate to and enjoy. The impact of Kate’s friendship with the two, and later her tragic death flow through their lives, causing havoc they realise and don’t acknowledge.

Authentic, truly Aussie and emotional without being soppy or too sentimental. Great debut novel.

[Jamie Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a fresh, distinctive voice, Kylie Kaden describes the story of a teenaged girl who disappears on a deserted beach during an end-of-school adventure, and details the impact the event had on those left behind, namely Kate’s friends Frankie and Jack. I’m not usually a flash-back fan, but the author expertly weaves present day scenes (when Frankie and Jack meet again at thirty, thirteen years after the event), to the tense beach scenes that led to Kate’s disappearance.

I usually have a few books on the go, but I was compelled to keep reading this one. This is the kind of romance I like – one firmly based on reality, and modern day dilemmas. You’ll find no swooning or heart palpitations here, so if that’s your thing, stick to your traditional romance, but if you want likeable characters, a heart-felt tale, and don’t mind a bit of Aussie slang, this is an enjoyable and moving read. The pace is fast, without being bogged down on lengthy descriptions, but I warmed to the down-to-earth narrator (Frankie) with her insecurities and flaws, as she bravely renovates an old timber cottage, and comes to terms with her past and her role in Kate's fate.

Losing Kate is a hybrid, cross genre read, grounded in a love story, but with the momentum generated by the mystery surrounding what really happened to Kate. I found myself forced to keep reading just to see if Frankie and Jack manage to finally get it on . A modern, emotive tail of second chances, friendship and loyalty that would particularly suit the New Adult market, but equally as enjoyable for those of us thirty-something’s who still feel like we’re fresh out of high-school (aren’t we?). Fast paced, simply written, but easy to love, this is a very promising start for the Australian author. I should disclose that I received a pre-released copy of Losing Kate through a media contact, but I was pleasantly surprised by this promising starter from Random House. A very self-assured first novel.

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more but I guessed the outcome so there were no surprises for me. Kylie Kaden is a most fortunate author to be plucked out of the slush pile and published. I've read far better books by unpublished writers.

[Jean Mole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Refreshing style, modern story, set in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Recommended reading. Jean.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set is Brisbane, following life and relationships of two family friends from 2000 (end of high school) to 2013.

Not really a thriller, not really a love story, much more than families and relationships.

Kept a steady pace, flipping from present to past and back again, with timely reveals, confessions, displays of emotion.

Loved all the local references, cringed at some of the “fake” words (aussies would never ever say it that way), laughed at the okkerisms.

Lots to entertain in this debut.
3 stars

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francesca and Jack are best buddies, they grew up together. They share half a lifetime of closeness unbreakable by anyone.

One school day when they were seventeen, Kate, a beautiful, lively and yet mysterious girl arrives in their class.

Everyone thinks she’s hot and that includes Jack. They became an item while Kate and Francesca became best friends.

One night when their group of friends went on a camping trip at the beach, Jack and Kate had a huge fight because he wanted to end their relationship.

She disappeared that night and the following events will lead to Jack and Francesca’s falling out.

Thirteen years after, they meet again. Both have very different lives now but it seems they still haven’t come into terms with what happened before.

But one thing is clear; they still have an intense feeling for each other, a feeling that has always been there and something which they never felt for the people who come and go in their lives.

The entire book focused on how they dealt with inevitable truth that changed their life forever.

Despite the mystery aspect of the Losing Kate, for me this is a love story all throughout.

As a fan of suspense genre, this is a welcome breather for me.

Despite Jack and Francesca being in their thirties already, whenever they throw their usual banter at each other, I can’t help but feel all giddy inside like I’m having a school girl crush.

It’s pretty authentic the way they have this history on them and knowing each other that well.

It's not bad at all how Jack is “crazy” in love with her, it is so addicting!

And not to mention he’s a looker so that’s a complete package all the way!

When it comes to Francesca, I get why she is reluctant to the idea of having Jack in her life again. There are so many unanswered questions and she feels she’s partly to blame on what happened to Kate.

But I kind of pity her for selling herself short all these years because of that guilt.

Find out if Jack will change her mind this time around.

Pretty much this book is fantastic, not too many characters which I like so there is highlight on each one.

There is a lot of Francesca and Jack in the pages and an adorable kid named Oliver who will melt everyone’s heart.

And such a story, I just can’t get enough of it. I look forward to reading more of Kylie Kaden’s books in the near future.

Goodnightcarolina is part of Losing Kate blog tour organized by Lucy Inglis of Random House Australia. I received an e-ARC for an honest review.

Please check out http://goodnightcarolina.blogspot.com/ for my other posts.

[Lauredhel · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Hope I’m not distracting you from bidding,’ I laugh.
He scratches his head. ‘Er, not me, no.’
I relax a notch. ‘Phew, now that would be freaky,’ I scoff, and a snort-laugh escapes. I lean in close. ‘Besides, the block is a swamp every time it rains …’
‘Is that right?’ A dimple appears on his cheek. Then he’s side-tracked again, looking around the crowd, at the little boy now on hands and knees with his ball at the fence, and it gives me a chance to suss him out. His clothes are different – brand names, ironed. His hair is longer, with an actual style. He’s better groomed now, not a trace of the greasy forehead and nineties’ chambray shirts, but he is still the Jack I knew. [...]
‘Are you here gauging the market then?’ I ask Jack, returning my attention to my Class of 2000 reunion for two.
His lips tighten, his grey eyes thin. ‘Not exactly …’
Behind his shoulder, I see the winning bidder hovering near the officials, staring out at the crowd.
Jack turns to scan the crowd too.
That’s when the lady in black smiles and waves. At Jack.
My jaw drops.
He knows her?
And that’s when the baseball-cap-wearing boy spots him, and races over.
‘Daddy!’ his little knee-high voice chirps. ‘I found doggee. He lickded me.’
Daddy?

Fresh out of a relationship with a cheating Merc-driving lawyer, social worker Frankie is desultorily doing up a weatherboard cottage in Brisbane. She is shocked to find her estranged childhood friend Jack Shaw buying the vacant block behind hers, with his partner and toddler. They quickly re-establish their intimacy, but between them always is the mystery of what happened while camping on the beach at schoolies - the night they lost Kate.

Kaden's romance is a solid debut, with convincing tension in the mystery, a great sense of place, and an engaging voice. One to watch!

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schoolies week is supposed to be a time to let loose and have fun after breaking free of the shackles of high school, but for Francesca it holds only tragic memories. Camped on the Noosa North Shore with her best friend Kate and the childhood pal whom she has grown to love (Jack), Francesa's world implodes when Kate disappears one night. For Francesa it is a double tragedy - not only has she lost Kate but also Jack too. Struggling to cope with the suspicion and media attention his family abruptly moves to Townsville leaving Kate alone and adrift without even the opportunity to say goodbye.

Fast forward thirteen years and Kate is a social worker and weekend renovator, slowly transforming a crumbling old Queenslander. She cannot believe her eyes when she realises her new neighbour is none other than Jack with a partner and child in tow. Amid the initial awkwardness of their reunion, the pair quickly re-connect but soon realise they both need to come to terms with what happened to Kate more than a decade before.

Flipping between past and present, the first person narrative gradually traces the story of Francesa, Kate and Jack in their teenage years in Brisbane. These flashbacks provide vital background information about the trio and slowly assemble the jigsaw pieces of just what happened on that fateful night. It is this mystery that provides the suspense and tension of the novel and keeps the reader full engaged and wondering throughout.

On another note I loved the Brisbane setting and Queensland "feel" of the book. The pop culture references of the late 1990s and early 2000s provide authenticity and are easy to relate to.

Losing Kate is an amazing debut novel. It is a captivating story that skilfully combines the elements of suspense, unrequited love and the lingering effects of tragedy.

[Lily Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a line on the first page of this book that includes the phrase "Sticky brood of boys", and the very last line in the book says: (hang on, that would be a spoiler, wouldn't it)...
For me, everything in the pages between is wonderful writing from a fresh new voice in Australian fiction.
I enjoy real estate. I've renovated several homes now with my hubby, and so all the present-day scenes involving Frankie's cottage and rebuilding, and Jack as the lost best friend who buys the vacant block next door, really resonate with me.
I also like what property symbolises in Losing Kate. How Frankie's old cottage is perfect for her, while next door there is a brand-spanking new home with all the bells and whistles being built for resale purposes, yet it lacks the solid foundations and 'labour of love' that go into making a house a home.
For readers who like a challenge, there is a whodunnit storyline in this book, as Frank and Jack revisit the tragedy of their friend Kate and her disappearance at an end of school party on the beach. And if you like your romance, I think you're guaranteed to finish the book with a lovely fuzzy feeling, too - because the last line... well, it's a beauty. I finished reading with a smile on my face, and that's all I'll say!

Disclaimer: Kylie Kaden is a friend, and my critique partner through Romance Writers of Australia. She is also a damn good author.

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wanted to love this, didn’t love this. Again I have to disagree with the majority of reviewers on here. The premise is a good one and the writing is ok but the will they - won’t they tension last the ENTIRE book.
The missing girl, Kate, who is the girlfriend of Jack is not what she seems (how hum!) and Fray (Francesca) who has been friends with him since childhood and secretly loves him, believes Jack wants her deep down. Even though Kate is her best friend. They finally admit this to each other at a school dance. On a schoolies camping trip Jack tells Kate it’s over. She is distraught, (very) long story short she goes missing. The disappearance of Kate and what happens to her is the mystery running through the book. Jacks family take him to live miles away and Kate and he do not see each other for years. They meet up again years later when Jack buys the block of land adjoining Frays (as if!) by now he has a partner and a child. Fray feels exactly the same as she always has about Jack. Will she now get a chance to be with him?
The book alternates between current day and when they were 17 on the camping trip. Because the story is about sexual angst and so much of it (half in fact) is set when they were 17, it felt like a young adult novel to me. I quickly tired of the repetitive yes/no between Kate and Jack (in fact, I could have slapped Kate on many occasions).
The ending didn’t surprise me at all, so the whole thing felt pretty meh!

[MarciaB - Book Muster Down Under · Rating 5 out of 5]

Losing Kate gets your attention right from the first start and doesn’t relent until the very last page as Francesca (Frankie) Hudson’s story holds you captive.

Frankie and Jack Shaw were friends from infancy until a “schoolies” camping trip in which Kate Shepherd, Frankie’s best friend, and Jack’s girlfriend, disappeared with her body subsequently washing up on the beach. This culminated in Jack’s family moving away from the town to escape the accusing eyes, and taunts of the neighbourhood, and a lifelong friendship was torn apart, leaving Frankie devastated, and trying to pick up the pieces as she continued through life with only her memories.

Now a case worker at the hospital, and having recently dumped her boyfriend Seamus, after a “skank incident”, her life is on track. She’s got her job, her little worker’s cottage which she is slowly starting to renovate and her dog Bear. That is, until Jack walks back into her life.

It’s been thirteen years, but as she sits on her dilapidated verandah with her friend Meg, watching the unfolding scene of the auction of the property behind, she is shocked and disbelieving but yes, it’s definitely him. She'd know that neck anywhere!

Despite the fact that he walks over and speaks to her, and hesitant introductions are made with his partner Sara and toddler son Oli, she becomes disillusioned when he later reveals that Sara knows nothing of his past and, in Sara’s company, begins to treat her “like somebody that he used to know”.

Downplaying their past for the benefit of the superficial Sara has its drawbacks, but as they resume their friendship beyond her prying eyes, all the old memories about their childhood and how they thought they would become more than friends, come flooding back to the present. And the one they thought most deeply buried? It’s dredged up all over again – the lies, the pain, the hurt, the guilt!

If that’s not bad enough, when Frankie’s brother Ben makes an unannounced entrance at possibly the worst moment, innocently letting the cat out of the bag, Sara finally learns the truth about their past relationship, and also Kate’s fate.

When things deteriorate even further after this pivotal event, Frankie begins to feel that she can no longer pretend that there is nothing between her and Jack and resolves to try and find out the truth by visiting Kate’s mother, which only raises further questions than answers when Jess hands her the shell necklace that Kate had made on that fateful night so long ago.

Could the necklace be a silent whisper to the living? If so, will Frankie and Jack finally find some closure on a chapter of their lives that has haunted them all these years thus gaining the unconditional love and happiness they so deserve?

Told in first-person POV, seguing between the past and the present, Frankie gives us the story with the dialogue between the characters expanding on what has brought them to this point in their lives. While I personally don’t find it easy to fully connect with characters in a novel that is written in first person because there can be a distinct lack of information regarding the secondary characters, Kylie (like a few other Australian authors I have recently read) has outdone herself and got one of the cardinal rules of fiction down to a tee – that of showing and not telling.

This well-known writing rule can be seen throughout the novel as she incorporates some great dialogue between her characters, using it to create personality, emotion, mood as well as a sense of place, whether it be Jack and Frankie in her little run-down cottage having their first real conversation, to the tragic scene on the beach of teenagers torn apart when they can’t find their friend or the scene in which Jack tries to placate Frankie’s embarrassment as an eleven year old who has just become a woman, thereby fully developing them and the psychological baggage they carry around, through Frankie’s eyes.

In a recent Author Round-Up held with Kylie on my blog I asked her to share a bit about her journey to becoming an author. She stated that “I never set out to be an author” but remembers making up stories during “journal time” after year two little lunch. She went on to say that “As a grown up, writing started as a housework avoidance strategy” (well, who of us likes housework) but, after attending a few day courses at the Queensland Writers’ Centre, she sent sample chapters to the “slush pile” at Random House.

Thankfully someone recognised Kylie’s talent and gave her a contract because Losing Kate is a brilliant debut that had me literally holding my breath throughout as Kylie ratcheted up the tension (both sexual and conflicting) between Jack and Frankie as well as the suspense surrounding the disappearance of Kate, not once giving us any hint as to the circumstances of Kate’s demise until the final chapters.

Kylie Kaden is yet another Aussie author who has rightfully gained a place on my bookshelf with this knock-out debut interweaving love and jealousy, loss and redemption, while also exploring those carefree, hazy, lazy summer days of our childhood.

[Kmt1944 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad story in so many ways. Almost all sadness and loss caused by one person’s failure to tell the truth about an accident. Affected the lives of so many for 13 years. Resolution took a long time.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story, I enjoyed both the present time and flashbacks. The characters were fleshed out and 'real' with troubles and human frailties I could relate to. A great read!

[Nouran Jambo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable read. Once I started reading I honestly could not put this one down!

[Rianonne]

Abbruch nach 45 Seiten ...

[Kirsten Constantinous · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit slow with a predictable ending.