A Great Act of Love
A Novel
Table of Contents
About The Book
A young woman with a mysterious past searches for her father—who has committed an unspeakable crime—in an exquisitely lush historical novel set among the champagne vines of 19th-century Australia.
Van Diemen’s Land, 1839. A young woman of means arrives in Hobart, Australia, with a boy in her care. Leasing an old cottage next to an abandoned vineyard, Caroline Douglas must navigate an insular colony of exiles and opportunists and invent a new life on this island of extreme seasons and wild beauty. But Caroline is carrying a secret of such magnitude that it has led her to cross the world. It will take all she is made of to bring it into the light.
A Great Act of Love is a spellbinding story that soars from the French Revolution to London and New York on an epic voyage to Tasmania. Here is a story of a family with champagne in their blood, and an enterprising woman determined to rewrite their legacy. The lives of Caroline, her father, and the residents of the island will collide in devastating and profound ways.
Immensely beautiful with unforgettable characters, this heartrending family saga chronicles a father and daughter’s journey back to each other and captures the enduring power of familial love.
Reading Group Guide
In this exquisitely lush historical novel set among the champagne vines of 19th-century Australia, a young woman with a mysterious past searches for her father—who has committed an unspeakable crime.
TOPICS & QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. After learning about a rumor claiming that a sparkling wine from early Tasmania won a prestigious award in Paris in the early 1800s, Heather Rose was inspired to turn the story into a novel. But when she began researching, Heather made a spine-chilling discovery. The vineyard rumored to have produced the award-winning sparkling wine was located near the home of Heather’s grandmother’s great-grandmother, Caroline. She was the daughter of a murderer, and the granddaughter of French aristocracy. A Great Act of Love is a marriage of these two tales. Do you have any unusual or spectacular events in your own family history that you think could inspire a novel?
2. Why did Caroline and her aunt have to resort to a life of crime and deceit to survive in mid-19th century England? What larger societal obstacles got in the way of their leading an honest life?
3.Caroline wears many masks throughout this novel. Which do you think was the hardest disguise for her and why? Which do you think was the easiest?
4. How does Caroline's father's crime ripple throughout the family?
5. A central theme throughout A Great Act of Love is unconditional familial love and legacy. What do you think binds Caroline, her father, and her aunt so closely together? Do you relate to their strong connection with one another?
6. Heather interweaves a multinational tale, with luscious and evocative scenery. What was your favorite setting and why?
7. This novel is filled with multiple complex and rich characters. Who were you most drawn to? Who were you most averse to?
8. There were many twists and turns in this novel. What was the most shocking and unexpected one?
9. What was Caroline’s great act of love?
ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
1. Host a wine-centric book club meeting that takes you on Carolyn’s voyage with wine from Australia and France.
About The Author
Heather Rose is an award-winning and bestselling Australian author of nine novels and a memoir. Her books have won numerous prizes including the Stella Prize, the Christina Stead Prize, the Margaret Scott Prize and the ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year. Her novel The Museum of Modern Love set at MoMA in New York has been adapted for stage at Sydney Festival and is currently being adapted for film. Heather’s work has been published internationally and translated into numerous languages. Her latest novel is A Great Act of Love. She lives in Tasmania. Visit her online at HeatherRose.com.au or @Heather_Rose_Writes.
Product Details
- Publisher: S&S/Summit Books (January 27, 2026)
- Length: 384 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668094938
Raves and Reviews
“Enticing.”—Alida Becker, The New York Times
“Rose writes in a simple but elegant style, crafting empathetic characters that guarantee reader engagement….An absorbing rumination on family, happiness, and love.”—Booklist
“Earnestly researched…absorbing…[a] deep dive into Tasmanian history.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Sumptuous....This is a treat for historical fiction fans.” —Publishers Weekly
“Like a fine vintage of champagne, this novel is complex, layered, and delicious. The intoxicating mix of family drama, historical details, and strong female characters makes this the perfect pairing for book clubs.” —Kate MacIntosh, author of The Champagne Letters
“Rippling with rich, textural prose, A Great Act of Love thrums with secrets which reverberate through generations and across continents. It is a sensuous, captivating story of love and adventure, of new horizons, sweeping from the deepest corners of the world to the wildest territories of the heart.” —Lucy Steeds, bestselling author of the Women’s Prize longlisted The Artist
"Cracks along with a masterly gusto." —The Age
"This novel is exquisite." —Goodreading
"Don’t be fooled. Heather Rose is not a writer; she is a magician. Her magic power? Being able to transport readers back in time to faraway lands." —Australian Women's Weekly
"While A Great Act of Love is, in one sense, an intimate story about a daughter searching for her father, it also expands outward – to the French Revolution, global commerce routes, the slave trade, and the violence of the British Empire." —Sydney Morning Herald
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
-
Book Cover Image (jpg): A Great Act of Love
eBook 9781668094938
-
Author Photo (jpg): Heather Rose Photograph © Peter Mathew(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
