In 1920, seventeen-year-old Madeline "Maddie" Bright, a poet's daughter who has to support her family after her father's breakdown, gets a job as a maid for Prince Edward when he arrives in Australia to do a royal tour after WWI. Along the way, Maddie befriends another woman, Helen Burns and her not-so-secret crush, Mr. Rupert Waters who is completely loyal to the Prince. When Maddie learns to navigate the tangled secrets and loyalties, eventually becoming part of Prince Edward's royal inner circle, the price she has to pay for her acceptance is too high.

In 1981, Maddie Bright lives in a dilapidated house that forces her neighbors to call a building inspector, Andrew Shaw. Maddie, who is best described as secretive and prickly, is trying but failing to finish the sequel to her famous novel, Autumn Leaves. During this time, Maddie begins to open up on what happened to her during the time Prince Edward came to visit Australia. However, fate has many more trials for her to endure before she can find the right conclusion to her story.

In England in 1997, around the time Princess Diana died, journalist Victoria Byrd has the scoop that an elusive writer, M.A. Bright, has finished the long-awaited sequel to Autumn Leaves, titled Winter Skies, and M.A. wants her to travel to Australia for an interview. However, along with that job comes various entanglements that she is forced to navigate, namely how her famous boyfriend will feel about this job. As Victoria prepares for the interview of a lifetime, will this time serve as clarity for her feelings towards life?

LOST AUTUMN by Mary-Rose MacColl is truly an extraordinary novel of beauty, depth, and emotions. This isn't just a tale of historical fiction, but takes advantage of the unique characters and surroundings, giving the audience something different. It isn't a formulaic tale of man loves a woman and something comes between them, but more about women's awakening towards their lives and how they can make a difference when circumstances don't allow them to do so. LOST AUTUMN will enthrall and enchant, not letting go until the last page.