When Lemons Give You Life, by Anna Johnson

Griff Barlow was a Michelin-star chef who is now in the dementia ward of an aged care facility. His sad decline has been precipitated by the death of his husband and the end of his career following a food poisoning scandal. But Griff has a secret and the neglectful care and dreadful nutrition at the facility may just lead to its discovery. Regular flashbacks to Griff’s past, including his childhood, give an insight into the flawed adult he has become and the damaged relationship he has with his much younger half-sister. The plot elements that enable Griff to keep his secret for so long are ludicrously unlikely, but the deep heart and strong characterisation of the story make this easy to overlook. The ending has a bit too much exposition – the very important points about the need for dignity and respect in aged care have already been well and truly made. Ultimately the very clever title says it all.

I Want Everything, by Dominic Amerena

Brenda Shales wrote two controversial and influential books in the 70s, before disappearing after a ruinous court case resulting from her second book. When she is recognised by a young ambitious writer and tracked to a run-down retirement village in Melbourne’s west, a misunderstanding leads to her spilling her story to him. He perpetuates the misunderstanding in an attempt to make his career, but can he maintain the deception and does it amount to literary fraud? This is a clever tale that twists in on itself and raises the question of who’s zooming who? The name of the young writer is never revealed – a slightly clunky device that has a point, made at the end of the story. This is a cruel take on the Australian literary scene and no-one comes out of it well.

Rise and Shine, by Kimberley Allsopp

Noah and August have been together for 17 years, but their marriage has reached its natural end. They barely communicate; the small things they used to love about each other are now sources of irritation; and there is little joy in life for either of them. August bites the bullet and ends the relationship and they manage the kind of amicable separation that seems rare. Having no children undoubtedly helps. This allows each of them the room and space to evolve and pick up the creative ambitions that had been stifled by an unsatisfying partnership. But can this growth and change make space for a new kind of relationship, where they meet each other’s needs and their own? This is an interesting take on the progress of a marriage between two flawed but likeable characters. There are some nice moments, particularly to do with grieving, male friendship and women balancing creativity and ambition. But the story feels a bit like a fairy tale; all just too good to be true. The voices of the characters don’t come across as authentic, especially towards the rather syrupy end.