This is the story of Dane Inglethorpe, a New Zealand thriller writer who meets Chloe in her grandmother's antique shop while on a book tour of Britain. There is a New Zealand connection between her family and his but only her grandmother, Leonora is aware of it. However she encourages Chloe to travel to Dane's home to renovate the family homestead into a restaurant.

The instant attraction between them is viewed suspiciously by Chloe, especially when the stunning Merle appears on their arrival in New Zealand. She and Dane are obviously close and Chloe can only assume Dane is philandering. When she discovers he eavesdropped on her angry refusal of a proposal from a very unromantic follower, she is confirmed in her belief.

The usual complications ensue, there are cute children, lovely scenery, scads of New Zealand history and Scott of the Antarctic and altogether and enjoyable read. Like her other Severn House book this is longer than her usual M&B books but it doesn't drag. ( )

Opening Sentence: ‘…Dane Inglethorpe sank into a deep chair at Victoria and Blair Doig’s Haslemere home and said “Now I can unpin this fixed smile and really relax.”…’

Dane Inglethorpe is a successful New Zealander thriller writer; the book opens in England at the end of an exhausting book promotion tour. He is tired and happy that finally he has done the last book signing session. However, his publisher has arranged one more session at a well-known antique shop run by a lady called Leonora. Leonora has artifacts from New Zealand on display and has decided that Dane would be a good crowd attracter for her shop. Dane is reluctant to do it, but goes anyway and is blown away by the wonderful paintings that have captured the scenes in his book. The artist is Leonora’s granddaughter, Chloe. Dane wants to meet Chloe so while he is waiting for her he goes to a nearby café and overhears a woman rejecting a proposal of marriage as inappropriate and storming out. The woman, of course, turns out to be Chloe.

Because he loves her work so much, and he is very taken with the woman, Dane asks Chloe to return to New Zealand with him to lead the restoration of his pioneer home, and convert his sister’s house to a restaurant. Chloe agrees, and not just because it is a project to die for.

It is lovely to read a story that involves people falling in love without them also falling immediately into bed! Author, Essie Summers, filled her story with wonderful poetry from various sources and excerpts from Shakespeare. Summers also brought New Zealand alive for me. This book is the first of at least 12 books set in New Zealand to ‘put me in the mood’ and give me ideas for things to see and do for our trip there next year. Christchurch is a favourite destination of ours and DESIGN FOR LIFE was set near Christchurch. Things on my to-do list from this book is Devonshire Tea at ‘The Sign of the Takahe’ and to explore Lyttelton (which we didn’t get to on our last trip) including a trip to Ripapa Island Historic Reserve. ( )